Breather cap



Dec. 13, 1966 E, c. LENTZ ETAL 3,290,869

BREATHER CAP Original Filed Dec. 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Tray/vr@ Dec.13, 1966 E. c. LENTZ ETAL 3,290,869

BBEATHER CAP Original Filed Deo, 13, 1961 2 Sheet5-511eet 2 UnitedStates Patent C 3,290,869 BREA'IHER CAP Ervin C. Leutz, Erickson, Mich.,and William G. McKenare, Racine, Wis., assignors to Walker Manufacturingtornpany, Racine, Wis a corporation of Delaware @riginal applicationDec. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 159,124. Divided and this application .inne 8,1962, Ser. No.

17 Claims. (ICI. 55 417) This invention is a division of our applicationSerial Number 159,124, led December i3, 1961, now US. Patent No.3,172,309.

This invention relates to internal combustion engine crankcaseVentilating systems and more particularly to an engine crankcaseVentilating system wherein crankcase vapors and gases are withdrawn fromthe crankcase and delivered to the engine carburetion device fordelivery to the engine combusion chambers.

The vapors and gases which accumulate in the crankcase during internalcombustion engine operation are commonly referred to as blowby. Ingeneral, two types of crankcase Ventilating systems have been previouslyproposed. In one type of system blowby is exhausted directly to theatmosphere. Such a system is commonly provided `by a road draft tubewhich extends downwardly from the crankcase and atmospheric air inletmeans connected to the crankcase at some other point to establish a owof air which will carry blowby out the road draft tube. The discharge ofblowby to the atmosphere is undesirable because of the contaminatingeitect thereof. In the other type of system, the contamination of theatmosphere by blowby is eliminated by discharging the blowby into theengine intake manifold, the air intake passage means, or some otherportion of the combustion air delivery system. In such systems, theblowby is returned to the combustion chambers and consumed rather thanbeing dumped to the atmosphere. This invention relates particularly to acrankcase Ventilating system wherein the blowby is returned to thecombustion chambers rather than being discharged to the atmosphere.

It is an object of this invention to provide a Ventilating system whichis relatively simple in construction and design, and therefore can beeconomically manufactured and easily installed.

Still a further object is to provide, as a part of the Ventilatingsystem, a new and improved crankcase oil iiller tube breathing unitthrough which a ilow of air from the atmosphere to the crankcase may beestablished for ventilation purposes. In this regard, it is an object otthe present invention to provide oil filler tube breathing means whichis readily adaptable for use with a Variety of iiller tube designs.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an oilfiller tube cap construction having new and improved air filtering andcontrol Valve means for incorporation in a Ventilating system.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentor become apparent by reference to the following detailed descriptionand the accompany drawing wherein:

FIGURE l is an end elevational View, partly in section, of aconventional internal combustion engine and accessory components thereofincorporating a crankcase ventilating system in accordance with theprinciples of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational View taken along the line 2 2 inFIGURE 1 showing a portion ofthe Ventilating system;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

3,290,859 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 FIGURE 4 is a top View of a portion ofthe Ventilating system shown in FIGURE 1 taken in the direction of thearrow 4;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5 5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken along the line 6 6 in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a top View of an alternative embodiment of the apparatusshown in FIGURES 4-6; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 8 8 in FIGURE 7.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a conventional internal combustion engine 10comprising a crankcase 12 and an oil tller tube 14 is illustrated. Thefiller tube 14 is connected to the engine oil in the crankcase and afiller tube cap 16 is conventionally mounted on the end thereof in anyof a variety of ways. The engine is further provided with conventionalaccessory components in the form of an intake manifold 18, carburetionmeans 20, and an air cleaner unit 22. The carburetion means 20 includesa combustion air induction passage 24 and a throttle valve 26. The aircleaner unit 22 includes an annular housing 28 which supports an annularfilter unit 30. A cover 32, which is fastened to the housing 28 byconventional fastening means 3d, secures the filter unit on the housing.A tuning chamber 36 is provided by the housing 28 and communicates withthe air induction passage 24 through an annular opening 37 spacedcircumjacent thereto. The air cleaner illustrated is open to theatmosphere through 360 around the entire periphery of the annular filterunit 30. Air is drawn radially inwardly through the lter unit anddownwardly through a central passage 38 into the air induction passage24.

The aforedescribed engine and engine components are intended to bemerely illustrative in many respects. It should therefore beparticularly understood that the air cleaner unit described and thecarburetion means shown may, in the broadest aspects of the presentinvention, take the form of any of the variety of designs currently inuse. Although a 360 air cleaner having a tuning chamber has beendescribed and produces a particular result in combination with thesubject Ventilating system, an air cleaner of any design with or withouta tuning chamber may also be adapted for use with the ventilation systemof the present invention as hereinafter described.

The present invention is directed to a ventilation system which may takethe form of an adapter kit having ventilating system components whichmay be readily associated with conventional internal combustion enginecomponents to provide for crankcase ventilation on those vehicles whichare used in areas requiring crankcase Ventilation. Accordingly, thepresent Ventilation system may be easily installed on existing internalcombustion engines currently in use and is readily adaptable for varyingVehicle makes and varying engine designs thereof. The Ventilating systemis, of course, equally well suited for factory installation on new carsif desired. In general, the Ventilation system components comprise anovel breather cap 16 which is adapted to be substituted for aconventional oil filler tube cap, lengths of flexible hose 50, 52, anadapter tube 54, and a combination condensate and tire trap 56.

The exible hose are provided with a plurality of external convolutions58 which define V-shaped grooves 59 and are made from a material such asthick neoprene rubber which will withstand exposure to varyingconditions of engine operation and to oil, gasoline, and blowbycontamination. In the broadest aspect of the inventi-on, the illustratedhose design is not critical except insofar as the hose material need besufliciently iiexible for installation and resistant to chemicalreaction and deterioration. However, particularly advantageous resultsare obtained by the illustrated preferred hose construction in regard tothe means of connecting the hose to the engine components as hereinafterdescribed.

The length of hose 52 is adapted to be connected at one end to theadapter ytube 54. The adapter tube 54 may take any of a plurality offorms and may be designed to be secured within or to an existing enginepassage which communicates with the crankcase or to be inserted througha specially prepared opening in the crankcase wall. The end of theadapter tube extending outwardly from the engine is `designed with anoutside diameter which snugly receives the hose 52 in telescopicrelationship. A conventional wire clamp 60 may be provided to secure thehose on the adapter tube. Oil separating means in the form of an oilremoving deflector plate `62 having a plurality of small apertures iscentrally mounted within the hose 52. The deector has a zig-zagconfiguration and is slightly oversize relative to the inside diameterof the hose for retention thereby. The deflector 62 is adapted to removeoil entrained in the blowby as it flows through the hose. The deiiectoris preferably located at a bend in the hose. The bend is located at thehighest position of the hose and is vertically positioned above theadapter tube 54 so that oil removed by the deflector will return to thecrankcase. The section of the hose on the other side of the deilector isinclined downwardly and connected at its lower end to the combinationcondensate and re trap 56.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the trap 56 comprises a pair of matingshells 70, 72 which are secured to one another by overlapped flanges 74,76 to dene a charnber 78, The chamber 78 has a bottle-shapedcross-sectional conguration including a lower portion of substantially`constant cross-sectional and an upper portion of Varying cross-sectiondened by inwardly tapering wall portions 80, 82. Connecting holes 84, 88are provided in the tapered walls 80, 82 and have a diameterapproximately equal to or slightly less than t-he outer diameter of thehose lengths at the bottom of the grooves 88 between adjacentconvolutions 90, 92. Consequently, the ends of the hose maybe compressedand inserted through the holes until a convolution has been fullyinserted into the chamber 78. When the hose is released after insertion,it springs back to its original shape to provide an eective fasteningmeans and seal between the end of the hose and the circumjacent wall ofthe trap. A baffle plate 96 is provided between the openings 84, 86 toprevent direct passage of blowby from one opening to the other. Thechamber 78 is filled with a copper mesh pad 100 beneath the baffle 96.The pad serves as a ire trap to prevent any ames or sparks from passingthrough the chamber 78 between the openings 84, 86. At the bottom of thetrap an outlet opening 102 is formed in a side wall. A rubber flap valve104 is secured to the trap by a projecting portion 106 which is receivedwithin a corresponding opening 108 provided in the trap wall above theopening 102. The lower end of the valve overlies the opening 102 topermit condensate collected in the chamber 78 to drain outwardly butprevent the passage of air inwardly.

The length of hose 50 is mounted in the hole 86 in a manner similar tothat previously described for mounting the length of hose 52 in the hole84. The hose 50 extends upwardly and is connected at its other end tothe induction air passage means at some convenient point. The mostconvenient point is through a side wall of the air cleaner. In theillustrative air cleaner structure, the end of the hose is shown to beconnected to the tuning chamber 36 through a hole 110 in the bottom wallof the cleaner housing. The hose may be connected in the hole 110 in amanner identical to that previously described in relation to the hoselength 52 and the hole 84 in the tire trap. The hole 110 may be formedin the cleaner housing 28 at the time of installation of the Ventilatingsystem in any conventional manner such as by a cutting or piercingoperation. The particular location of the hole is not critical and theflexible hose 50 could also be connected in a side wall at 112 orthrough the cover at 114. However, particularly advantageous results areobtained insofar as the Iconnection of condensate is concerned bybringing the hose into the lowermost portion of the air cleaner so thatcondensate will readily drain back to the trap. With the hose connectedto a bottom wall of the air cleaner condensate collecting in the tuningchamber will drain downwardly through the hose S0 and into the trap '70.In addition, condensate which collects on the walls of the hose 50 andthe upwardly extending portion of the hose 52 will also drain into thetrap. When the condensate in the trap reaches the level of the opening102 the condensate will drain outwardly through the flap valve 104.

In order to establish a Ventilating ow of air through the crankcase, aspecial iiller tube cap 16 is provided for association with the fillertube 14 as part of the ventilating system. Referring now to FIGURES 4-6,the preferred form of liller cap comprises a cap member having a coverportion formed by a top wall 142 and an annular rim portion formed by acylindrical side wall defining a generally cup-shaped cavity, a fillertube receiving bushing 132, filter means 134, air inlet passages 136,and flow control means in the form of a valve element 138. The top wallis provided with a plurality of radially extending depressions 144, 146,148-, as shown in FIGURE 4, which terminate in a centrally depressedwall portion 150 extending substantially parallelly to the top wall. Thedepressions 144, 146, 148 are inwardly stepped by the provision oftransversely bent axially extending outer side wall portions 152, 154,156 which are connected by curved transversely bent axially extendinginner side wall portions 158, 160, 162. These axially extending innerand outer side wall portions extend `axially substantially parallel tothe annular rim portion. The bottom walls of the depressions 144, 146,148 form abutment surfaces 166, as shown in FIGURE 5, for the valvemember 138 and limit its upward movement.

A valve support element having a pair of radially spaced cylindricalwalls 172, 174 connected by a transversely extending web portion 170 ismounted within the cover 130. The walls 172, 174 are dimensioned toabuttingly engage the inner surface of the wall 140 of the cover and theouter surface of side wall portions 152, 154, 156. A pair of radiallyspaced embossments or ribs 17 8, are provided in the web portion andextend outwardly upwardly therefrom in a direction opposite to the sidei walls 172, 174. Outer ow passage means are defined in part by aplurality of air inlet .passages 136 provided by aperturescircumferentially spaced around the central web portion between the ribs178, 180 as shown in FIGURE 6. The inlet bushing 132 is adapted to betelescopically mounted relative to the inner wall 172 of the valvesupport member 170 and secured thereto by any conventional means such aswelding, The inlet bushing 132 is further provided with a centrallylocated annular shoulder 181 which is adapted to abut the end of thefiller tube 14 and locate the cap thereon. In order to secure the cap onthe filler tube 14 fastening means in the form of a plate springretainer 182 is secured to the bottom wall 150 by a rivet or the like.The particular design of the inlet bushing 132 and the spring means 18-2may be varied as desired to accommodate varying types of filler tubestructure. For example, some iiller tube caps are conventionallyprovided with bayonet type locking means. In order to accommodate abayonet type lock or other means, the inlet bushing structure 132 may bechanged to provide a corresponding lock portion without changing thebasic cap structure. Thus, for engines embodying alternative iiller capstructure, the inlet bushing and fastening means can be varied so thatan adapter kit for a particular make and model of an automobile wouldhave suitable fastening means incorporated in the iiller cap structure.

The inlet bushing and valve support element 170 are mounted within thecover 130 and may be secured therein by a plurality of radially inwardlybent tabs 136 which are integrally formed in the lower end of the sidewall of the cover. The valve element 133 comprises an annular platewhich is supported in a valve cavity, defined by the outer side wall 1d@of the cover, the inner side walls 152, d, 156, the bottom walls 166 ofthe depressions 144, 146, 148, and the central web 176 of the valvesupport element, on the annular ribs 178, 160. In this manner the valveelement is movable upwardly off of the ribs 1755, 18) to permitatmospheric air to flow in through the inlet ports 136 and into thefiller tube 14. Communication between the cover 130 and the filler tube14 is provided by a plurality of axially extending inner ow passages190, 192, 194 formed by the inner side walls 158, 160, 162 of the cover130, and the inner side wall 172 of the valve support element 170. Outerilow passage means are defined by the axially extending side wallportions 1M), 172, 174, 180. An annular iilter element 134 ofpolyurethane foam or the like may be pressed into the outer flow passagemeans cavity between the side walls 172, 174 to filter all imcoming air.The valve provides one way flow of filtered air from the atmosphere tothe crankcase through the filler tube and prevents any reverse flow ofblowby from the crankcase to the atmosphere.

An alternative embodiment of the filler cap is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.The structure comprises a cover 206 having a cylindrical side wall 262and a curvilinear central wall 264. An annular valve support element 206having radially spaced cylindrical walls 208, 210 which are connected bya central web portion 212 is welded or otherwise secured to an inletbushing 214, The valve support element 206 is provided with radiallyspaced upwardly extending ribs 216, 218, and a plurality of inletpassages 229 as hereinbefore described. The upper end of the inletbushing is provided with a radially outwardly extending flange 222 toprovide an abutment surface for an annular valve 224. Tab elements 226,22S are inwardly bent from the central portion of the inlet bushing toprovide locating stops for the filler tube 10.1 which is adapted to betelescopically received therewithin. Spring means 230 may be secured tothe cover by a rivet 232 or the like to resiliently engage the innersurface of the ller tube and secure the breather cap thereon. ln orderto limit upward movement of the valve 22d a plurality of inwardlyextending nibs 234, 236, 23S are provided in the cover. The nibs areadapted to engage and space the valve from the upper wall of the coverin the `uppermost position of the valve. As hereinbefore described, afiltering element 239 of polyurethane or the like is frictionallyinserted between the side walls 208, 216 of the support element 206. Theentire unit is secured within the cover by a plurality of radiallyinwardly extending locking tabs 24M) and such other fastening means asmay be necessary. The operation of the device is identical to thatdescribed in relation to the alternative ller cap structure.

In adaptation of the subject filtering system to conventional enginestructures, the conventional filler cap is replaced by a filler capincorporating a filtering element and valve means as hereinbeforedescribed. A suitable adapter tube 54 is connected to the engine througha passage in communication with the engine crankcase. An inlet openingof appropriate size is formed in a side wall of the air cleaner means.The length of `hose 52 is secured to the adapter tube at one end and thecentral portion of the conduit containing the deflector 62 is fixedlylocated at a point spaced thereabove. The fire and condensate trap 56 isfixedly mounted in any suitable manner below the detiector 62 and belowthe air cleaner. The end of the hose 52 is connected to the trap bycompression and insertion through the opening 84, The other hose element5@ is connected in a similar manner to the opening 86 in the trap 56 atone end and to the air ind duction means through the opening 114i`formed therein at the other end.

Pressure differentials existing between the air induction means in thecrankcase will create a ow of blowby from the crankcase through the hose52, the fire and condensate trap 56, and the hose 50 to the portion ofthe air intake passage to which the hose 50 is connected. The blowby isthereby mixed with the incoming air for combustion and returned to thecombustion chambers of the engine to be consumed therein. The componentsof the system may be secured on or adjacent to the engine by anysuitable bracket or fastening means which provide the aforedescribedvertical spacing relationships. The

pressure `differential existing between the tuning chamber 36 and thecrankcase cause flow of blowby from the crankcase and reduces thepressure therein. The reduced pressure in the crankcase will cause thevalve means in the filler cap to open to permit filtered air to flowinto the crankcase. As the blowby passes through the bafe 62, oilentrained therein will be removed and returned to the crankcase.Condensate forming in the hose and turning chamber 36 will be returnedto the condensate trap. The copper mesh in the condensate trap providesa fire trap which :prevents spark-s or flames in the air inductionpassage means from reaching the crankcase.

Certain modifications in design and arrangement of the various parts`have been presented. Such modifications and other alternativearrangements which utilize the principles disclosed herein are intendedto be included within the scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cap for use in a crankcase Ventilating system and for associationwith an air inlet tube, comprising: a cap member having a cover portionand an annular rim portion defining a generally cup-shaped cavity, acentral portion of said cover portion being depressed into saidcup-shaped cavity and defining therein a wall extending substantiallyparallelly to said cover portion and transversely to said annular rimportion, radially extending depressed portions formed in said coverportion and extending from said central portion to said annular rimportion at spaced circumferential locations and being depressed intosaid cup-shaped cavity a lesser distance than said central portion, saidcentral portion being connected to said radially extending depressedportions by outer side wall portions extending substantially parallel tosaid annular rim portion, said central portion being connected to saidcover portion by inner side wall portions extending inwardly toward saidcentral portion away from said annular rim portion and being spacedradially inwardly beyond said outer side wall portions, a tube memberconnected to said cover portion about said outer side wall portion andextending outwardly from said cupshaped cavity away from said coverportion substantially parallel to said annular rim portion, a pluralityof axially extending inner fiow passages defined by said tube member andsaid inner side wall portions and opening at one end in said cup-shapedcavity and terminating at :the other end of said tube member, outer flowpassage means defined by said tube member and said annular rim portionand communicating at one end with said inner flow passages andterminating at the end of said annular rim portion, filter support meansprovided in said outer flow passage between said tube member and saidannular rim and adapted to receive and support annular filter means forfiltering air passing through said outer flow passage, tab means bentradially inwardly from the annular rim to hold the annular filter meansin position, and one-way valve means associated with the annular iiltermeans to limit How of air through said inner fiow passages and saidouter flow passage means to a single direction.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 and wherein said one-way valvemeans comprises an annular sheet of material mounted circumjacent saidouter side wall portions in a valve cavity further defined by saidradially extending depressed portions of said cover portion and saidannular rim portion and said filter support means.

3. The invention as defined in claim ll and wherein said filter supportmeans comprises a channel-shaped annulus having parallel cylindricalside walls spaced and connected by an annular web portion, said sidewalls being connected to said tube member and said annular rim portionin said outer flow passage means and locating said channel-shapedannulus in an outwardly opening position, a plurality of rib meansformed in said web portion, passage connecting means formed in said webportion adjacent said rib means, and said one-way valve means comprisingan annular sheet of fiexible material adapted to be seated on said ribmeans to close said passage connecting means and to move away from saidrib means to open said passage connecting means to permit one-way flowof air therethrough.

4. A cap for use in a crankcase Ventilating system and adapted forassociation with an air inlet tube, comprising: a cap member having acover portion and an annular rim portion defining a cup-shaped cavity,inwardly depressed portions formed in said cover portion and extendinginto said cup-shaped cavity, a channel-shaped annulus having parallelinner and outer cylindrical side walls spaced and connected by anannular web portion, the outer cylindrical side Wall being connected tosaid annular rim portion within said cup-shaped cavity and locating saidchannel shaped annulus in an outwardly opening position, tube meansconnected to the inner cylindrical side wall and having one end portionlocated inwardly beyond said web portion in said cup-shaped cavity andhaving another end portion located outwardly from said cup-shaped cavitybeyond the end of said annular rim portion, passage means formed betweensaid tube means and said annular rim portion and through said webportion and extending in said Itube means, valve cavity forming meansprovided on the one end portion of said tube means to define a valvecavity in association with the inwardly depressed portion of said coverportion and the web portion of said channel-shaped annulus, and movablevalve means mounted in said valve cavity for controlling flow throughsaid passage means.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and having said movable valvemeans comprising one-way valve means mounted in said valve cavity andsupported therein on said web portion for movement between passageopening and passage closing positions.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 and wherein: said one-way valvemeans comprises an annular ring of sheet material mounted circumjacentsaid tube member, a plurality of rib means formed in said web portionand extending inwardly into said valve cavity, said passage meansextending through said web portion adjacent said rib means, and saidone-way valve means being adapted to be seated on said rib means in saidclosed position and to be moved away from said rib means in said openposition.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 and wherein: an annular ring offilter material is mounted in said channel-shaped annulus between theparallel inner and outer cylindrical side walls thereof, and fasteningmeans provided to hold said annular ring of lter material therein.

8. A cap assembly for association with an air inlet tube or the likecomprising a cap member having a cupshaped cavity defined by a coverportion and an annular side wall portion, a tube receiving sleevemounted interiorly of said cap member, a radially extending flangemember connecting said tube receiving sleeve and said annular side wallportion and dividing said cup-shaped cavity into a valve chamber and afilter chamber, said valve chamber and said filter chamber beingcircumferentially aligned and located outwardly circumjacent of saidtube receiving sleeve, flow ports provided in said flange member andproviding communication between said filter cavity and said valvecavity, one-way valve means mounted in said valve cavity for limitingflow through said flow ports to a direction from said filter chamber tosaid valve chamber, and air filter means mounted in and filling saidfilter chamber to filter all air passing through said flow ports.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 and wherein spaced annular ribmeans are formed in said fiange and extend inwardly toward said valvecavity, said flow ports being located between said rib means, and saidvalve means being seated on said rib means for closing said fiow portsand being movable away from said rib means toward said valve chamber toallow fiow through said fiow ports.

llt). The invention as defined in claim 9 and wherein said valve meanscomprises an annular fiexible ring seated ou said rib means within saidvalve cavity, and said filter means comprises an annular filter ringsecured within said lter chamber.

lll. The invention as defined in claim 8 and wherein said air filtermeans is replaceable, and said valve means being mounted between saidfilter means and said tube receiving sleeve.

12. The invention as defined in claim 3 and having mounting means freelysupporting said valve means in said cap for movement of all parts ofsaid valve means between an open position and a closed position relativeto said flow ports.

13. The invention as defined in claim 8 and wherein said valve means isformed from fiat sheet material, all parts of said valve means beingfreely movable to a closed position to prevent reverse fiow through saidfiow ports opposite to said directions.

14. A cap means for an air inlet tube or the like of a. crankcaseVentilating system comprising a cover having a cylindrical side wall anda top wall, portions of said top wall being axially depressed to form aplurality of valve seats, a valve support member having spacedcylindrical side walls connected by a central web portion, a pluralityof air inlet passages being formed in said c/entral web portion, valvemeans movably mounted between said valve seats and said valve supportmember to control flow through said air inlet passages, a cylindricaltube receiving bushing centrally mounted in said cap means and adaptedto telescopically receive said air inlet tube, said valve support memberbeing mounted between said bushing and said cylindrical side wall ofsaid cover, a filtering element mounted between said spaced cylindricalside walls of said valve support member and covering said air inletpassages whereby all air passing through air said inlet tube isfiltered, and said valve means being mounted on said valve supportmember over said air inlet passages for movement from an air inletpassage closing position on top of said central web portion to an airinlet passage opening position above said central web portion wherebyingress of air is permitted and egress of blowby is prevented.

15. The invention as defined in claim 14 and wherein radially spacedupwardly extending cylindrical rib means are formed in said central webportion on radially opposite sides of said air inlet passage means toprovide a seat for said valve means.

16. The invention as defined in claim 1S and wherein the depressedportions of said cover extend radially inwardly from said cylindricalside wall, said depressed portions terminating in transverse axiallyextending side walls, said side walls being connected by a depressedcentral portion being axially inwardly spaced a further distance thansaid portions of said top wall which are axially depressed to form theplurality of valve seats, the side wall portions between said transverseaxially extending side Walls being radially inwardly curved to form aplurality of air outlet passages in association with said bushing toconduct incoming air through said cover to said air inlet tube.

17. A filler tube cap comprising a cover member formed by a tubularportion closed at one end and open at the other end, support means oftubular form having an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameterof said tubular portion of said cover member and opposite axially spacedopen ends, said support means being mounted Within said cover member inspaced relationship to said tubular portion of said cover member withone open end of said support means located adjacent the closed end ofsaid cover member, an air inlet passage ,between said support means andsaid cover member extending from the open other end of said cover memberto the open end of said support means adjacent the closed end of saidcover member, an air outlet passage extending through said support meansfrom said open end of said support means adjacent the closed one end ofsaid cover member to :the opposite open other end of said support means,transversely extending partition means extending between said tubularportion of said cover member and said support means and dividing saidinlet air passage into a lter chamber adjacent the open other end ofsaid cover member and a valve chamber adjacent the closed one end ofsaid cover member, air port means in said transverse partition meansconnecting said lter chamber and said valve chamber, filter meansmounted on one side of said transverse partition means in said ilterchamber, and one way valve means mounted on the other side of saidtransverse partition means in cooperable engagement with said transversepartition means adjacent said air port means and limiting air ow to apath extending from said open one end of said cover member through saidfilter means and said air port means past said valve means to the openend of said support means adjacent the closed other end of said covermem ber and through said support means to the opposite open one endthereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,562 4/1964Konchan 220--44 1,286,930 12/1918 Bruckner 123--119 1,427,337 8/1922Tracy 123-119 1,784,067 12/1930 Holtson 55-511 1,864,604 6/1932Lemmerman 55-501 2,056,755 10/1936 Welch 220-44 2,113,447 4/1938Hardings 123-119 2,114,240 4/1938 Sharrard 123-196 2,154,072 4/1939Kamrath 55-504 2,244,403 6/1941 Root 123--119 2,496,883 2/1950 McKalip55-495 X 2,532,888 12/1950 Brown 55--510 2,543,909 3/1951 Hatheway285-238 2,726,732 12/1955 Faust et al. 55--219 2,742,057 4/1956 Krieck123--119 2,760,596 8/1956 Kellie 55-219 2,836,258 5/1958 Price.

3,012,631 12/1961 Kaser 55-497 X 3,016,890 1/1962 Bibo 123-196 3,030,9424/1962 Thompson 1231 19 3,071,285 1/1963 Friend. 3,146,194 8/ 1964Hathaway 13H-*516.15 3,167,416 1/1965 Humbert et al. 55--505 FOREIGNPATENTS 716,222 9/ 1954 Great Britain. 751,289 6/ 1956 Great Britain.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Examiner.

B. NOZICK, Assistant Examiner.

4. A CAP FOR USE IN A CRANKCASE VENTILATING SYSTEM AND ADAPTED FORASSOCIATION WITH AN AIR INLET TUBE, COMPRISING: A CAP MEMBER HAVING ACOVER PORTION AND AN ANNUALR RIM PORTION DEFINING A CUP-SHAPED CAVITY,INWARDLY DEPRESSED PORTIONS FORMED IN SAID COVER PORTION AND EXTENDINGINTO SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITY, A CHANNEL-SHAPED ANNULUS HAVING PARALLELINNER AND OUTER CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALLS SPACED AND CONNECTED BY ANANNULAR WEB PORTION, THE OUTER CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL BEING CONNECTED TOSAID ANNULAR RIM PORTION WITHIN SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITY AND LOCATING SAIDCHANNEL SHAPED ANNULUS IN AN OUTWARDLY OPENING POSITION, TUBE MEANSCONNECTED TO THE INNER CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL AND HAVING ONE END PORTIONLOCATED INWARDLY BEYOND SAID WEB PORTION IS SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITY ANDHAVING ANOTHER END PORTION LOCATED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITYBEYOND THE END OF SAID ANNULAR RIM PORTION, PASSAGE MEANS FORMED BETWEENSAID TUBE MEANS AND SAID ANNULAR RIM PORTION AND THROUGH SAID WEBPORTION AND EXTENDING IN SAID TUBE MEANS, VALVE CAVITY FORMING MEANSPROVIDED ON THE ONE END PORTION OF SAID TUBE MEANS TO DEFINE A VALVECAVITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE INWARDLY DEPRESSED PORTION OF SAID COVERPORTION AND THE WEB PORTION OF SAID CHANNEL-SHAPED ANNULUS, AND MOVABLEVALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE CAVITY FOR CONTROLLING FLOW THROUGHSAID PASSAGE MEANS.
 8. A CAP ASSEMBLY FOR ASSOCIATION WITH AN AIR INLETTUBE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A CAP MEMBER HAVING A CUPSHAPED CAVITYDEFINED BY A COVER PORTION AND AN ANNULAR SIDE WALL PORTION, A TUBERECEIVING SLEEVE MOUNTED INTERIORLY OF SAID CAP MEMBER, A RADIALLYEXTENDING FLANGE MEMBER CONNECTING SAID TUBE RECEIVING SLEEVE AND SAIDANNULAR SIDE WALL PORTION AND DIVIDING SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITY INTO AVALVE CHAMBER AND A FILTER CHAMBER, SAID VALVE CHAMBER AND SAID FILTERCHAMBER BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ALIGNED AND LOCATED OUTWARDLYCIRCUMJACENT OF SAID TUBE RECEIVING SLEEVE, FLOW PORTS PROVIDED IN SAIDFLANGE MEMBER AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FILTER CAVITY ANDSAID VALVE CAVITY FOR LIMITING FLOW MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID VALVE CAVITYFOR LIMITING FLOW THROUGH SAID FLOW PORTS TO A DIRECTION FROM SAIDFILTER CHAMBER TO SAID VALVE CHAMBER, AND AIR FILTER MEANS MOUNTED INAND FILLING SAID FILTER CHAMBER TO FILTER ALL AIR PASSING THROUGH SAIDFLOW PORTS.